Never Too Late
by ashtonzainelee
Summary: Set after "what was missing" Marceline was missing her princess so she made a late night visit to the castle. Rated M for later chapters.
1. Late night surveillance

Marceline

My stomach growls loud enough to be heard through her open door. Fuck! I knew I should have eaten before I got here." She used to remind me to eat so I wouldn't get too uncomfortable at night.

My minds races as a flash of pink moves through the room. I don't even know why I came here. What was I gonna do, talk to her? Last week was the first time she's said anything to me in a year. I guess I just want to see her smile again to cover up the picture of the tears I caused last year. Hear her voice, her laugh. That musical laugh that still fills my ears while I dream. Maybe if I can see her one last time I can finally forget her. Or maybe, just maybe I just miss her.

I don't even notice that there are tears tumbling down my face until one if the small cuts on my cheek starts to sting. She used to bandage all the scratches and cuts I get from battle. I leave them open now. I grip my base tighter as I drift closer to the lighted balcony. My mind is full of the nights when she couldn't sleep so I flew around the entire kingdom with her in my arms. Or when I would sing her songs as she slept. Our memories lay all around Ooo, making it nearly impossible to forget her. She is in everything I see.

Just tonight. I'll stay and watch her just for tonight and then I'll go. I can take the job as master hunter in the land of Aaa. I heard Gumball's a nice guy. Marshall Lee defiantly thinks so. I'm almost to the window when I hear Peppermint Butler knock on her door. I shrink back from the balcony before Peppermint can see me; he never liked me around Bonnie. My breath catches when she speaks

"_Yes, yes thank you Peppermint. I will not forget the meeting with Finn and Jake in the morning. Have a wonderful evening. Goodnight" _She speaks pleasantly to the candyman who basically raised her. As the door closes softly I drift even closer than before, encouraged by the sound of her humming something sweetly to herself as she returns to her desk. I recognize the tune and frantically search my mind to name the song, when suddenly I'm frozen by her voice again.

"_I'm just your problem; I'm just your problem. It's like I'm not even a person, am I? I'm just your problem" _

I can't stop the surprised hiss that falls from my lips when I finally recognize my song. She's singing my song that I never meant for her to hear. Her song. I'm caught up in my thoughts again. I didn't even want to help Finn and Jake that day. But them she came running through my door after them and I followed them into the sunlight. I almost forgot my gloves and hat I was so confused by her sudden appearance. When she yelled at me for that silly little song in the beginning, it was like I needed her to hear it. To see that I was hurt too. That I still am hurt.

I'm so wrapped up in my thoughts I don't even hear her coming towards the window until she calls out to me.

_"Marcy, I can hear you out there, you've never been able to sneak up on me. You can come inside its too cold outside, even for you."_


	2. Maybe I'm seeing things

Bonnie:

"I'm dying in this meeting. Dying! I should have put on my jammies before this damn thing. HA! The look on Peppermints face if I walked in here wearing my rock t from Marcy and sweats would be priceless." My mind wanders away as I sat in the Great Hall, half listening to The Council of Princes and Princesses blather on about the great land of Ooo and how well the relationship with Aaa has been since my kid brother Bubba took throne with Marshal Lee at his side.

I sigh, but nowhere near loud enough to be heard by my guests. "She used to float by the window and distract me from important meetings. Her shirt half untucked, hair wild from her flight, lips stained red from whatever she hunted down that night." Before I can gather my thoughts chairs scarp across the floor as the meeting is drawn to a close. My legs stand and I'm flying on auto pilot as I show my guests out the main gate to the castle

As I trudge through the winding stairs and corridors, I finally allow thoughts of her to fill my head and carry me to my bed chambers. "I miss chasing after her giggling form as we raced down the corridors, through my lab and around the castle. The way her hair fell over her eyes. The nights where she would show me the world, flying safe in her arms. Every land and kingdom of Ooo is full her."

A few sticky sweet tears slip out before I can get control of my head again. Finally I make it to my room, heading straight for the balcony. Again my mind floats to her. "Her favorite place to meet me after a night of hunting. Her face still flushed from her hasty return, cuts and scrapes bleeding openly from the wicked claws of the beasts she must defeat every night. Bandaging her wounds, worrying over the smallest nick."

A sudden patch of gray appears in the trees and I draw away from the door and pull on her shirt. Sometimes I think I can still smell her cologne when I wear it. I must be seeing things. Why would she come here? Last I heard she was ruling the Nightoshpere. I mean, the last time I even saw her was that day with Finn and Jake. That Doorlord forced me to run right through her house. I didn't want to go. I couldn't risk seeing her, but he had her shirt and it's all I have left of her. When she sang that song in the beginning I almost broke in front of Finn. She used to sing me that song in my dreams.

As I sit at my desk I'm ripped from my thoughts by a quick knock on my door. Peppermint. He always has a message or a meeting for me. Half listening I agree to do something with Finn tomorrow and return to my thoughts. Her second song fills my head and I hum along. I glance at the glass door in time to see a second flash of gray pass.

"I'm just your problem; I'm just your problem. It's like I'm not even a person, am I? I'm just your problem"

I sing aloud and from the darkness I hear a wounded hiss. My mind fumbles and I can only think one thing. "Marcy. Marcy. Marcy. Marcy?!"

Without knowing if I'll even get a response I call out into the night."Marcy, I can hear you out there, you've never been able to sneak up on me. You can come inside its too cold outside, even for you."

I hold my breath as I wait for ten agonizing seconds, before I hear her no louder than a whisper.

_"Hey Bonnie. Nice shirt, who did you steal it from?"_


	3. Into the promised land

Marceline:

_"Marcy, I can hear you out there, you've never been able to sneak up on me. You can come inside its too cold outside, even for you."_

"Oh god, it's been too long since she's said my name." My heart breaks, my mind freezes and for 10 silent seconds I die a little bit inside. I land softly on the balcony for the first time in a year and look at her. The girl I loved. The girl I still love. Bonnie. My Bonnie, so sweet and smart.

"Nice shirt Bonnie. Who gave it to you?" I smirk at her, trying so hard not to let her see the hurt in my eyes. I would know that shirt anywhere. The snake, the two eyeless heads. The shirt I left here when I ran. The only thing I left her when I disappeared from Ooo. Oh god, why did I ever leave?

I hear a quiet sigh come from her, almost like she expected me to fade into the night without an answer. I take in the beautiful shock on her at my sudden appearance. It seems so much like the first time I came up here at night. After I took her flying for the first time. When I rang the bell at the castle for the first time, my heart hammering out of my chest, I waited patiently by the guards as I heard the light patter of her steps down the stairs. She flung open the door and smiled the smile that melted my heart. We flew all throughout her land. From the Candy kingdom to the Nightoshpere, slowly strumming my base and pointing out my spots to her. Eyes wide with wonder she rested in the safety of my arms for the day as we traveled. As the light dimmed I shed my hat and gloves and began the trip to her homeland. AS we landed in the garden of the castle, I finally let her go. Missing her warmth and sweet smell the instant I did. Peppermint watched from the windows above so with a short hug I drifted away. When nightfall arrived my princess heard a tap tap on her balcony door. The cold night air rushed in as she opened to door to see me shivering outside. I blushed and before she could speak leaned in for the goodnight kiss I wish I gave her in the garden. I'll never forget the sweet softness of her lips or the blush that spread from her cheeks to her chest as we parted. _Oh come in Marcy. It's much too cold to fly tonight. You simply have to stay the night." _She mumbles. That was the first night I spent holding the love of my life.

I'm yanked out of my memories by the sweetest sound in all the lands. Her voice.

_ "Marcy, are you going to stay in the door way staring or are you going to tell me why you're back in Ooo?"_


End file.
